Lexical Definition

‎פֵּן‎ pên (pane) lest ^H:Conj
from ‎פָּנָה‎

(lest) (peradventure), that...not.

• properly, removal
• used only (in the construction) adverb as conjunction, lest

conj
1) lest, not, beware lest
adv
2) lest

Extended Information

• conj
• adv

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎פֶּןֿ‎₁₃₃ (always with Makkeph **except Gen 38:23; Gen 44:34; Deut 7:25; Deut 32:27 [not Gi], Isa 27:3; Prov 25:8: Mandelkern^{Conc. under the word}.) conjunction (averting, or deprecating), lest (origin dubious: Thes Kö^{ii. 334} from ‎פָּנָה‎, properly substantive construct in accusative for the aversion of; but ‎פָנָה‎ is intransitive: Nö^{M. 474} compares the enclitic particle ‎פּוֺן‎ in ᵑ7, then ἄν, 'etwa,' thinking that a particle with the meaning 'es möchte etwa,' spoken in a tone of alarm, might readily acquire a deprecatory force); — lest:

1. with imperfect Gen 3:3 ye shall not eat thereof . . . ‎פֶּןתְּֿמֻתוּן‎ lest ye die, Gen 11:4 let us build a city ‎פֶּןנָֿפוּץ‎ lest we be scattered, Gen 19:15; Gen 19:17; Gen 19:19; Gen 38:23; Gen 45:1l Exod 1:10; Exod 23:29; Exod 23:33 etc., 2Kgs 10:23 (followed by ‎יֵשׁ‎), Isa 6:10; Isa 27:3; Isa 28:22; Isa 48:5; Isa 48:7; Ps 2:12; Ps 7:3* etc.; often after ‎הִשָׁמֶרלְֿךָ‎ take heed to thyself Gen 24:6; Gen 31:24, and especially in Deuteronomy, as Deut 4:9; Deut 4:23; Deut 6:12; Deut 8:11 and elsewhere; after a verb of fearing Gen 32:12*, and once, even, of swearing Judg 15:12 deprecating pathetically, Gen 44:34 how shall I go up, etc.? lest I look upon the evil that will befal my father. Once, unusually, preceding the principal clause, Prov 5:6 ‎אֹרַח חַיִּים פֶּןתְּֿפַלֵּס‎ lest she should make level the path of life, her ways are unstable, etc. (Ew Be Now; see also Toy). Note especially
a. the idiom ‎כִּי אָמַר (אָמַרְתִּי) פֶּןֿ‎ for he (I) said, Lest..., implying always that some precaution has been taken to avert the dreaded contingency, Gen 26:9 for I said, Lest I die on account of her (to obviate which, Isaac had called Rebecca his sister), Gen 31:31; Gen 38:11; Gen 42:4; Exod 13:17; Num 16:34; 1Sam 13:19; 1Sam 27:11 (‎לֵאמֹר‎), Ps 38:17* with ‎כי אמר‎ implied Gen 26:7 compare, with an aposiop., Gen 3:22 and now, lest he put forth his hand, etc. (implying that measures are taken to prevent this, see vGen 3:23): compare Tob 8:9.
b. ‎פֶּןֿ‎ at the beginning of a sentence, with a dissuasive force, (Beware) lest: + Isa 36:18 ‎פֶּןיַֿסִּית‎ ‎אֶתְכֶם חזקיהו‎ (beware) lest Hezekiah deceive you, Deut 29:17* (twice in verse) (followed by ‎יֵשׁ‎), Jer 51:46; Job 32:13; Job 36:18.

2. with Perfect, the result feared being conceived as having possibly already taken place; 2Sam 20:6 pursue after him, ‎פֶּןמָֿצָא לוֺ ֗֗֗ וְהִצִּיל‎ lest he have found him fenced cities, etc. (but the tense of ‎והציל‎ makes ‎יִמְצָא‎ probably, Dr^sm Bu Kö^{iii. 486}), 2Kgs 2:16 ‎׳‎‎וַיַּשְׁלִכֵהוּ וגו‎ ‎׳‎‎פֶּןנְֿשָׂאוֺ רוּחַ י‎.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References